(I will respond via email.)

I go to an Asperger's support group each month. It has about 30 people in it, 25 male & 5 females, ages 16-65. Maybe half are on disability of some type.

Some had jobs for a while & got fired or laid off regularly, like yourself. Some had jobs for quite a while (like one friend, ten years, & me, 21 years) but the stress of relating or the difficulties with coworkers finally caught up with us so we had to go on disability.

Almost everyone in the group is quite bright to gifted, and very competent at the job WORK, although one problem is we did it too slowly, in an insistence to do it thoroughly, or well, or too perfectly, or better than the boss wanted the job done.

All of us could keep jobs if we could just work for one employer who let us work freely on our own schedules, and do the work thoroughly, without having to interact with colleagues!

Being at home on disability is discouraging, a bummer, depressing, and makes us feel inadequate! It feels pretty bad having an IQ over 120 & knowing that we can't keep a job as well as a teenager with Down Syndrome, washing tables at McDonald's. It's also a great waste of talent in our societies!

Another friend of mine, also, was told by a VOLUNTEER agency that they didn't want him...they didn't like his too-logical attitude in the car with the peers he worked with. It's pretty discouraging when they won't even let you help somewhere for FREE!!

So, this is a big problem for society. Lots of wasted, gifted talent.

I think it needs a solution. Some type of job advocates/counselors who can go to jobs with Aspies & "mediate"--explain to the Aspie what's going on socially, and to the employer & colleagues what the Aspie is thinking, until both sides understand each other better...then return only for followups in case of crises.

If anyone's looking for a grant proposal to write....

Seaking of disability... My therapist just told me about a program that when you're on disability they help you get a job and give you the skills you need. She called the program DOORS. I'm not sure if that is in Illinois term or a national term. But, I wonder if they would be able to help in situations like this!

Too much "wasted, gifted talent". That is the understatement of the year Embroidery Fan. I like the idea of advocacy/counselors. I also believe as a group we could be much more pro-active. Successfull aspies could be more pro-active by encouraging the hiring and mentoring of those with AS. Should a comphrehensive resume registry be developed (if not already done) of aspies looking for work? What more could be done to link (network) AS people of like interests and what kind of jobs/business opportunities could result? Any more ideas out there?

I know this is one area I would be more than willing to volunteer some of my time towards.

Got two degrees qualified as lawyer practised for 16 years now writer poet. But that means shoot we are different John Nash was genius mathematician but MAD Einstein was Aspergers Boswell was BP but thats SHOOT. Its the Norms world thick stoopid etc but THEY RULE LIVE WITH IT OK

Go onto my website, on my 'other wonderful autism videos' I have a video about Autism and Employment...send that to your employers, etc. and let them know up front.

Kris

HOpe it helps... its http://chat1autism.wetpaint.com/ and go to that section, other wonderful autism videos. It should be there :)

"Almost everyone in the group is quite bright to gifted, and very competent at the job WORK, although one problem is we did it too slowly, in an insistence to do it thoroughly, or well, or too perfectly, or better than the boss wanted the job done."

Thats ME!

In our state there is VESID, which can help people with disabilities at there jobs, and yes they provide on site job counciling.

As far as my volunteer job, I was wrong... they want me back, and they were beign honest... not only that but I will be getting an Award for my work, and it is a high expense occassion (dinner at the finest hotel in the area). That is making me feel amazing.

I am extremely excited when I hear of peoples problems that I also have... it makes me not feel alone. I have an amazing gift with programming computers. I can see the whole thing fall into place really quickly while other (very bright individuals) have to carefully plan it out on paper which may take weeks or months. There is no doubt people with this illness have exceptional talent, and I feel like people like Einstien, Bill gates, and others also have this disability. I see Bill Gates Rock back and forth in interviews. This is something I did, but suppressed it because of the social implications.

I want to hear more of the problems people have... its hard for us to even know what our problems are... its like I dont even know why Im getting fired most of the time... I know its Aspy, but I dont know what specific trait is causing the situation.

Im looking for companionship in this area. I dont want to feel like an alien any more.

I haven't lived in the states for about 15 years now, but isn't there some regulation that every employer needs to have a certain number of "minority" workers? Wouldn't a "disability' qualify? I know no one wants to be known as having any sort of disability but couldn't you "milk" or "advertise" your disability to your advantage? Other visible minorities have done it in
the past and some, not all have even taken advantage. Why not you? There are so few advantages to Autism, try to make your own.

The rules regarding minorities is based on the fact that you are doing work for the government. If you do not do work for the government then you are less likely to find solutions.

To prove discrimination is VERY hard, and a disability that prevents you from doing your job is not discrimination.

I have had many mysterious let-gos from jobs, and I never was told I had a bad attitude. It all felt mysterious. However I am trying to figure it all out and find proper supports. It seems to me what "we" need is scripting. We need a course where we just learn many of the more common workplace scenarios by play acting. Even though things are liquid, I would think that this could point out our mistakes to ourselves and refine our own inner abilities to figure out how to react. I would think that half the class might have scripted things where we should learn the proper gestures, and get very familiar and confortable doing it. The other part os where situations are acted out by people and we have to figure out how we should react that would be more what is "expected". And then people can then critique us on that. This could be a class that runs nightly or every week, and should last a few hours a time. This was, we could continually examen how we act and behave in group situations. That's my idea, and I want to make it happen, but I don't know how I can run a campaign for it. All I know is, it's what I need! I'm not stating that I would become a robot, but it would be good to have some skills in how to act like NT people, and mix it in with my own quirkiness, and that way, I won't seem so off the wall to people. What do you think?

Good idea! It would be great for a young adult/adult social skills/job skills support group and workshop! Look for young adult/adult aspergers support groups, talk to the person in charge of it, and see what happens! Good Luck!

Kris

I will respond in the next couple days with a link to more information. I went to an Adults with Aspergers group today and we were told we'd be emailed a resource - I thought of this group when we were told that. I will put it up when I get it. If it isn't up in a few days, send me a messages, as I most likely have forgotten.

Yeah I've bounced jobs a whole helluva lot due to the difficulties that arise from being such an oddball or expressing myself improperly, and I haven't even been diagnosed yet. I've been at my current job for a year. The big trick, AS or not, is to lower your standards, shuddup and comply. NOthing else really works.

My husband has Asperger's but has been able to keep his jobs, one for 5 years and this last one for a year 1/2. However, our issue is he never gets ahead, never gets promoted, etc. He stays rather stagnant in his jobs, has the potential to earn more but can't due to his lack of ability to communicate well with others....